Item-Not-As-Described Abuse

Item-not-as-described (INAD) is a legitimate buyer-protection claim on most marketplaces for cases where goods genuinely differ materially from their listing. INAD abuse occurs when a buyer makes this claim dishonestly—either to obtain a refund for an item they received as described or to return a damaged, used, or entirely different item in place of the original.

In 'switcheroo' fraud, a buyer receives a working item, swaps it for a broken or inferior version they already own, returns that substitute under the INAD claim, and keeps the functioning original. This is most common with electronics. Platform return policies that accept items without inspection create an opportunity for this abuse.

Sellers can mitigate INAD abuse by photographing items thoroughly before shipping, using tamper-evident packaging, recording serial numbers, and including unique identifying marks. When a returned item does not match what was shipped, sellers should document the discrepancy with photos and pursue escalation to platform trust-and-safety teams or civil claims.